-Listen to your body, if you think something is wrong, seek help
-Find a hip specialist, not one who performs hip replacements, but one who can address labral tears and FAI
-Nexcare waterproof bandages will keep your stitches dry in the shower for the few days you are not supposed to get them wet
-If you are using a GameReady, do not keep filling it up with ice and water, this is annoying, and difficult for the person in charge of doing it. Freeze 5-6 mini water bottles and put them in the GameReady with 2" of water, keep another 5-6 bottles in the freezer and keep switching them
-Ladies, accept the fact that you will not be able to shave your legs for several days
-Accept the fact that you will not be able to wash the bottom of your feet in the shower for several days
-Save your hands, get Millenial crutches
-Find a PT who can help you, will listen to you, and can provide you with "hands-on" treatment
-Find another person who has gone through a hipscope already, and milk them for info/ help (I can be reached via email at suzq613 at aol dot com)
-Don't let anyone tell you "its just a 'scope'", this is serious surgery, and a much longer recovery than your basic knee scope
-It is normal to feel like you are on an out of control roller coaster ride, physically and emotionally, no one will understand what you are going through, I hope you listened to my previous advice and found a "hip friend"
-If you are at all apprehensive about having an MRI, bring your own music, keep your eyes closed the entire time, and take slow deep breaths
-this list will be continuously updated as I inadvertently make more mistakes!
-Take Colace with your narcs, and if all else fails, ex-lax or dulcolax works like a charm!
16 comments:
Hi Susie,
Thanks for the document on intercourse. Definitely a useful tool and I'm sure there are many others out there who are looking for help on this 'taboo' subject. Good on you for putting it out there.
Hi....
You sound like me! I had my right hip done on Oct 16 (labral repair with anchors and sutures, some shaving of femoral head for impingement). Most of the time I am feeling pretty good, but I am still taking VIcodin at night. I feel wimpy about that. I am also now having symtoms in my left hip-started before my surgery, and have gotten progressively worse. You are right, nobody understands how this makes me feel! I feel 90, and I am a quite fit 40 (at least, I was). Good luck with your next surgery!
Hip Buddy
Oh I'm so happy to have found your blog! I felt like I came up for fresh air after 6 weeks of holding my breath under water. 6 weeks ago, my orthopedic surgeon told me I had a tear of my left hip labrum, femeroacetabular impingement, and early hip arthritis. I'm 40 years old. I've been procrastinating in scheduling the surgery. Today, I took the initiative to call for a second opinion; with no luck. How do I find a surgeon who specializes in this?
After reading your blog, I'm still wondering if I should move forward, my pain is somewhat manageable.
Thanks for your help.
sassouth- At this point, 3 1/2 months out from my last scope, I am extremely happy with the way things have gone and do not look back.
If you like, email me suzq613@aol.com with anything specific or concerns!
Hi Suzie,
I read your story. I had my hip scoped 18 months ago. I had FAI and CAM impingement with a labral tear and a bone spur. Presently I am having pain in the same hip. Anterior groin area. I switched jobs so I have a new Dr. I had an MRI arthrogram with contrast done. He says most likely it is a tight lliosoas tendon. Much like what they said you had. How do I know for sure if that it the problem and not the labral tear issue again? Any advice? Have you come across any readers who have had a negative labral tear on the contrast MRI but DR. ended up scoping the hip and finding a tear?
To answer your last question, yes, many people have negative MRI's for labral tears but they are then found with a scope.
A lot of ppl ask me how I knew I did not have psoas issues and that it was an impingement issue. I am not 100% sure how to answer, soe things you can just feel and know, plus, my psoas was not any worse off when my pain came back than it had been prior, and the samme positions and activities hurt me post-op as had pre-op. It was identical pain.
Susie
Hi Susie,
Thank You so much for your reply. I work with a physical therapist. Laying prone, She checked my strength and rom with my internal and external hip rotators. my left leg had 32 and my right leg had 40. She said that there is definitely something in my hip stopping my rom. Not a tight lliosoas tendon or muscle.. She said it has to be bone on bone.
I called my Dr. and scheduled a hip arthroscopy. I told his PA that my gut tells me that it has to be a labral tear or some type of impingement. My hip also feels like it gets locked or stuck, PT also said a tight lliosoas tendon or muscle does not do that. You are very knowlable about all of this. We seem to have to be our own Dr.s to a sense, because our Dr.s don't really seem to listen or believe us. Is there any advice you could give me as to what I can make sure my Dr. does before I have my procedure done on the 24th?
Thank You so much and I hope that you are well.
Beth.Krebser
Beth- I had totally forgotten about the range of motion issue, duh! Yes, I lost range of motion, also leading me to suspect a bony issue, not a tight psoas.
I would request a CT scan to properly identify the impingeent, if it is there, and make sure it can be addressed arthroscopically. The best docs can address MOST FAI arthroscopically, but even they cannot get to some spots, and then an open procedure is neccessary. I would hate to have to go through a second scope only to learn that an open procedure was neccessary.
Susie
Hi susie,
Not sure if my comment went through from last night. My current surgeon feels certain there is no labral tear or impingement. he is doing scope on the 24th of this month. If he goes in and than finds out that there is something there and he cant get to it will he than wait till I am awake and at post-op tell me he has to do an open? Does he have to get my consent before he decides he might have to do that? Do I ask this question at my pre-op visit when I speak to the anesthesiologist and the nurse? Pre-op is scheduled for 17th. They will do the EKG, chest X-Ray, etc. Do you have any advice on how I should approach this with the Dr. Last surgery I had in 2007 the surgeon at that time called me to reschedule the surgery because he said they may have to do an open procedure and he wanted to have the right people and time and tools to do it if necessary.
Thank you so much for this website.
It is so informative and helpfull.
Beth
Beth- if he feels there is no tear or impingeent, why is he doping a scope? Have you had a diagnostic injection?
Does he do open hip procedures? some only do open or only do scope. If he does feel it may need open, I dont see why it can't be done then, as long as you give consent beforehand. Many open procedures start as a scope and procede to open. I would call his office now to sort this out, not wait until later as things with the surgical schedule may need to moved aorund.
Hi Susie,
I called his PA she said a long as she has been with him (6 years) he has never had to do an open procedure. I had my hip scoped today. Even though the arthrogram MRI showed no labral tear and he said I have no labral tear that it was a tight llsoas tendon, when he went he found a labral tear, and he had to shave down bone and debrede it. I am glad I followed my gut instinct and went thru with this. He also said I have mild arthritis. I didn't have arthritis 18 months ago. He said for me to use crutches for 2-3 days and then depending on how I feel I can stop using them. I see him for follow-up on Dec. 9th. I have decided I will use crutches until than. I am a little afraid to damage what he fixed going full weight bearing too soon. I didn't have any impingement this time. I had to use crutches for 6 weeks last scope. I did some research ,if they use the micro-fracture technique than they require longer time on crutches. How long were you on crutches for your 2nd and 3rd scope.
I was supposed to be on crutches, 20 lbs weight bearing for 2 weeks. I had impingement addressed in all of my surgeries. After the second and third, I was walking around my house with one crutch after a few days for convenience but didn't actually come off of the crutches fully for 3-4 weeks bc of weakness, but not pain. I wasn't afraid to damage anything bc there was nothign actually repaired, only debrided.
hope this one works out for you!
Oh thank you for this post! Turned 26 April 18th, and the next day went in for labral repair surgery. I wish I saw this post before my surgery! Everyone was telling me I'd be fine and recovery is "so quick". Doesn't feel so quick the first week I'm finding out. I had to find out on my own a lot of this stuff but it is all great advice! Will probably repost this on my blog! (I had to opt for ducolax, and i wear weight lifting gloves to save my hands from the pain of crutches)
Susie,
I would like to thank you so much for your website with so much useful information. I am 1 week postop for hip arthroscopic surgery and I felt great for a couple of days and now my hip has started throbbing. I am assuming I am doing too much??
Anyway, my insurance denied my surgery at first but this was overturned and the entire policy was changed! This was because I found your website with all the useful information!!! Thank you so much!!!
I also found this site looking for 'sex after hip arthroscopy.' :) I will be reading through your site as I recover from surgery! Thanks for the information.
Thanks for you post. Well I just stumbled upon this trying to find out how soon I can have sex after scope and repair..... I had a my repair done in 12/28/2016 Anterior superior Labral tear with 2 anchors and femoral head smoothing and shaving. Also my anesthesiologist gave me a lumbar plexus block pre-op with a pain pump that lasted 3 days post op it was amazing almost zero pain just a dull ache and very tolerable pain after that. I also had a 10mmm posterior hamstring tear that were hoping will heal in its own.
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